Plocher’s Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Ethics Investigation Saga Continues

In October, Progress MO reported that Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, a Republican representative from Des Peres, had repeatedly broken the law. We joined hundreds of Missourians in calling for an investigation into Plocher’s schemes, as well as for his immediate resignation.

Since then, the House has launched an ethics investigation against Plocher. But Plocher has also become more bold in his defiance of the law.

Before the House committee investigating Plocher reconvenes Dec. 6, here’s a debrief on what’s happened so far.

Plocher Threatened To Fire An Employee For Exposing His Government Contract Scheme

As previously reported by the Missouri Independent, Plocher committed “unethical and perhaps unlawful conduct” in seeking an expensive government contract that could benefit elected officials running for office. Then, he announced his own campaign for Lieutenant Governor.

Plocher Used Campaign Funds To Pay For Travel, Lied About It, And Got The State To Reimburse His Campaign

Plocher used taxpayer dollars to reimburse his campaign nine times since taking office in 2018. He signed sworn affidavits saying he had used personal funds, not campaign funds, to pay for travel when seeking reimbursement – a blatant lie. These illegal reimbursements could violate both state and federal law.

Plocher Fired His Chief of Staff – And Replaced Him With A Criminal

After the two ethics violations above and extensive public pressure, the House Ethics Committee launched an investigation into Plocher.

Plocher fired his chief of staff and hired a new one: former House Speaker Rod Jetton, who admitted to assaulting a woman. Maybe Plocher figured Jetton’s past scandals gave him the necessary experience to coach Plocher through his current ones.

Plocher’s Investigation Continues – Let Your Legislators Know Where You Stand

The House Ethics Committee meets again today to continue investigating Plocher. They should know Missourians won’t stand for another corrupt Speaker.

For more of Progress MO’s coverage on Speaker Plocher’s legal problems, read Bring The Hammer Down on Plocher